Banjer, I have no quarrel with Red Skelton's version of the Pledge, which is the one I used to recite in school. (Although, to me. it was one long Mondegreen, and I had no clear idea what it was about.) Circuit Judge Goodwin also had no quarrel with that version. What bothers people is the "under God," which is not a part of Skelton's pledge. Especially in light of the context in which that got inserted.

I have no problem with patriotism, as long as people refrain from inserting their own questionable agendas into the concept of patriotism.